Is Fitbit the best portable player after Apple in India?

New Delhi: Apple Watch may have led global smartwatch shipments in the first quarter of 2019, but San Francisco-based Fitbit apparel-based apparel and activity tracker has become the best player after Apple, according to industry experts.

The top nine brands account for 75% of sales in the market and Samsung, Fitbit and Huawei experienced exponential growth in the first quarter, says Counterpoint's Global Smartwatch Tracker report.

Fitbit's market share in India has increased significantly from 9% in 2017 to 14% in 2018.

"Fitbit continues to move from smartband / trackers to smartwatches and has become the second best player after Apple in terms of experience and size." The launch of the Versa smartwatch marked a turning point for the growth of its smartwatch segment "said Satyajit. Sinha, research badyst, IoT and mobility, Counterpoint Research, told IANS.

"The health / fitness factor plays a key role in consumers' decision-making when it comes to adopting smartwatches and Fitbit is fully focused on this fundamental use case," Sinha added. .

The apparel manufacturer's share of smartwatch shipments increased in 2018, due to the resounding success of its smartwatch "Versa", launched in April of last year.

Fitbit's smartband shipments increased by 7% (year-on-year) in 2018, but its share in the smartband segment increased from 10% in 2017 to 8% in 2018 due to lack of products in the range low-end price.

To meet the needs of budget-conscious Indian buyers, Fitbit is now considering expanding its offering, especially for those embarking on a fitness adventure.

"Besides the" Inspire "family, with" Versa Lite, "the brand wants to reach new smartwatch owners looking for an attractive and intuitive device – a device that matches their personal style with vivid, vibrant colors. Alok Shankar, country general manager, Fitbit India, told IANS.

The company also aims to add more users to its category of laptops.

"The development of our active user community is an essential part of our strategy, and we want to do this by offering wearables and smartwatches that offer excellent value for money – not just in terms of price, but also in terms of price. Basic features and advanced features such as sleep tracking, swim proofing designs and smartphone notifications, "noted Shankar.

According to Counterpoint, consumers are not yet ready to add additional devices that need to be billed periodically for the same features as those found in advanced smart tapes, which typically last longer than smart watches.

"In the smartwatch segment, Fitbit's main competitors are Apple, Samsung and Amazfit.In the smartband segment, Xiaomi, Titan and GOQii are the main competitors," Sinha said.

However, with the new line, Fitbit says it has strengthened its portfolio.

"India has always been a value-conscious market, but consumers have always been willing to invest in good quality products," said Shankar.

This story was published from a news agency thread without text modification.